Conventionally, participants in sports (e.g. football, rugby, baseball, lacrosse, field hockey, etc.) wear protective gear to cushion the force of impacts that are regularly received during those events. In recent years, the dangers of high-force impacts during such contact sports have been a matter of focus. The dangers of these impacts can be diminished or minimized by effectively cushioning participants from the forces of impacts.
In general, protective pads have been configured from continuous layers of uniform materials to avoid gaps or areas of reduced protection. As a result, many pads fail to provide sufficient comfort while maintaining high levels of protection. Improved structures, such as impact-resistant pads, are desired to better protect and lessen the impact forces experienced by those participants, while providing a high level of comfort.